{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,23]],"date-time":"2026-08-23T16:37:32Z","timestamp":1787503052037,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]],"date-time":"2025-12-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1766016000000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":17,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Open"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,3]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) globally report lower rates of viral suppression because of challenges to remain adherent and engage in HIV treatment. Psychosocial support is critical to meet the unique needs of ALHIV. Peer navigation has been found to be effective in supporting adults in ART adherence, but the evidence for adolescents is scant. Given the large proportion of adolescents on ART in sub-Saharan Africa, peers hold promise to deliver psychosocial support. The aim of this qualitative evidence synthesis is to review qualitative and mixed-methods studies describing experiences of peer navigation and support interventions for ALHIV on ART in sub-Saharan Africa.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods and analysis<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The population\u2013concept\u2013context configuration will be applied to identify suitable studies on ALHIV and on ART (population) and experiences of peer navigation and support (concept) and conducted in sub-Saharan African countries (context). The review will only include studies published in the English language. The following databases will be searched: PubMed, Wiley Library Online, EbscoHost (PsycArticles), MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, WHO database and Google Scholar, for eligible qualitative studies published from January 2015 (to ensure relevance) to November 2025. Two-stage screening will be done by two reviewers independently. Extracted data will be thematically analysed with Atlas.Ti (v25) software. A narrative synthesis will be conducted to describe the reported outcomes, experiences and challenges with receiving and delivery of peer navigation and support interventions in sub-Saharan Africa. The review will adhere to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses and Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research reporting guidelines.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Ethics and dissemination<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Ethics approval is not required for this qualitative evidence synthesis. The findings will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated to via conference proceedings.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>PROSPERO registration number<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>CRD42024541951.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2025-109765","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,19]],"date-time":"2025-12-19T11:50:32Z","timestamp":1766145032000},"page":"e109765","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Experiences and outcomes of peer navigation and support interventions for adolescents on HIV treatment in sub-Saharan Africa: protocol for a qualitative evidence synthesis"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Brian","family":"van Wyk","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bernard Nhlanhla","family":"Mabuza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3766-3890","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Charn\u00e9","family":"Petinger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026010703492745000_15.12.e109765.1","unstructured":"World Health Organization . Consolidated guidelines on hiv prevention, testing, treatment, service delivery and monitoring: recommendations for a public health approach. 2021."},{"key":"2026010703492745000_15.12.e109765.2","unstructured":"UNAIDS . Ending the aids epidemic for adolescents, with adolescents. Geneva, 2021."},{"key":"2026010703492745000_15.12.e109765.3","unstructured":"UNAIDS . 2017 estimates. 2017. Available: http:\/\/aidsinfo.unaids.org"},{"key":"2026010703492745000_15.12.e109765.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hlophe LD , Shumba CS , Bedada DT , et al . Barriers and facilitators to antiretroviral therapy adherence among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years living with hiv in subsaharan africa: a mixedmethods systematic review and metaanalysis. In: AIDS Research and Therapy, 20, Article 35. 2023. Available: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12981024006227","DOI":"10.1101\/2022.10.07.22280823"},{"key":"2026010703492745000_15.12.e109765.5","article-title":"The life experiences of adolescents living with HIV in South Africa: A qualitative study","volume":"121","author":"Mabaso","year":"2021","journal-title":"Child Youth Serv Rev"},{"key":"2026010703492745000_15.12.e109765.6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11904-019-00470-5"},{"key":"2026010703492745000_15.12.e109765.7","unstructured":"Funck Brentano I , Zanganeh S , Cluver L , et al . Peer support interventions for adolescents living with HIV in sub\u2013Saharan Africa: A systematic review. Journal of Adolescent Health PubMed 2023;37956242."},{"key":"2026010703492745000_15.12.e109765.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"305","DOI":"10.1097\/QAI.0000000000003364","article-title":"Do Peer Navigators Improve Initiation and Retention in HIV\/VH\/STI Treatment Programs for People From Key Populations? 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Differentiated service delivery for adolescents and young people living with hiv: a situational analysis in south africa. 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